


Moonlight Sonata

by Writingtragedy (Crankyhistorian)



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Doctor Frank Zhang, Doctor Will Solace, F/M, M/M, Opera singer Hazel Levesque, Scientist Nico di Angelo, Slow Build, Violinist Nico di Angelo, alternative universe
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-30
Updated: 2020-06-10
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:35:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23919130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crankyhistorian/pseuds/Writingtragedy
Summary: Will is struggling through his last year of residency when he meets the most stubborn patient he has ever had but the old man doesn't  come close to the intriguing boy that visits him daily and spills his sorrows and regrets.Nico finds out that his old music teacher is dying and wants to reminisce the good old times but the dorky blond haired doctor, somehow always manages to waltz into an important moment of self discovery and Nico realises that his old man might just play cupid.Or, Nico has hidden his violin the day he left his family and he swore to never touch it again but maybe his old music teacher and his doctor might persuade him to pick up the bow once again.
Relationships: Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson, Hazel Levesque/Frank Zhang, Jason Grace/Piper McLean, Nico di Angelo/Will Solace
Comments: 20
Kudos: 79





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Ok, so I´m trying something new here. I basically have the whole story structure in my had already so I should be able to finish it but who knows.  
> Anyway this is what happens when you listen to classical music for 3 weeks straight and I might have also been binge watching TwoSetViolin instead of studying.  
> Please note that I have no knowledge of Medicine or classical music and I'm just piecing this together so that it makes sense. I apologise for any inaccuracies.  
> So, please leave some kudos and comment whether or not I should continue this story.

Noise. There´s so much noise around Will. The beeping from the heart monitors of his two patients does not sync up and resonates awkwardly against the bleak white walls. The raspy breathing from the ventilator fills up the entire room and the blinding light from the sun shows specks of dust dancing in the air.  
Will feels like he´s suffocating. Every breath he takes is filled with old dust, caking up his lungs. 

There´s a TV playing in the background, he hears a crowd laugh and gasp sporadically. Must be Oprah. Next to him one of the nurses is explaining how the patient has recovered since they´ve last visited them in the morning. The sound of Oprah and the nurse blends into one another. Will doesn´t hear a difference. There´s only static getting louder and louder drowning out the noise around him. He feels like he´s drowning, suffocating in dust particles and bad news. 

Every day the same routine.  
They say being a doctor is life-changing, that it never grows old. Every day you deal with a new challenge. Will begs to differ. The monotone routine of waking up, getting ready, doing rounds, and following the attending hasn´t changed. He´s allowed a lot more freedom since he started his residency but even then his day has been the same old routine. 

There´s a nurse in front of him now she stares at him disapprovingly. Her brows knit together worriedly. Will avoids her eyes and stares at her foundation instead.  
Flakes of makeup fall off of her forehead mixing with the dust and falling to the floor.  
She must have forgotten to use a primer.  
That´s what his sister always preached to him.  
`If you don´t use Primer before putting on Make-up then what was the point of wasting good foundation anyway.`  
The nurse must have been late to work or she wouldn´t look like this.

Lou Ellen never looks messy but today is different. The hospital is never overwhelming but today is different. Wills depression never gets this bad but today is different.

The attending presses his hand against the patient's foot who opens one eye to glare at the man. Dr. Zhang asks a question and offers him a smile but the old man only huffs in annoyance and glares at the ceiling.  
Will stares at the man and wishes he could throw a tantrum too but he wasn´t the one dying with only a rusty pacemaker and 20 different drugs keeping him alive.  
No, he is the one who figured out that the pacemaker was at fault for Mr. Henners chest pains. He was the one who mentioned it to Dr. Zhang. He was the reason why Mr. Henners is stuck at the hospital unable to attend his granddaughter's recital.  
Maybe he should have just kept the faulty pacemaker to himself? This way Mr. Henners would be sitting in the park eating ice cream and praising his granddaughter's piano skills not pouting in the hospital with various wires taped to him. 

Will shook his head. His mind was working against him. If he hadn´t mentioned it Mr. Henners could have suffered from a heart attack and died before the ambulance reached him. His granddaughter would have watched her Grandpa die during her solo and blame herself for it.  
No, he did what he had to do. It was his job to find out what is wrong with the human body and fix it. His good hearing and quick thinking might have extended Mr. Henners life by a few months. Now he would have the chance to spend more time with his family and truly enjoy life. 

Will´s brain sometimes plays these tricks on him. Depression is a disease it makes him feel useless, incompetent, like a failure. But he knows that´s not true. His friends remind him of that daily. His mother, his co-workers, his patients remind him of that. He has the knowledge and the skill to save people and a chemical imbalance in his brain will not stop him. That´s what he promised himself every day when he looked in the mirror. This bad day will pass just like the other ones had too. He just had to focus on what matters. Saving lives.

Will stared at the stacks of papers in front of him. There were three in total. One higher than the other and all three looked like they were a breeze away from spilling onto the already messy floor.  
Shelf exams are coming up and the study guides and references were piling themselves up on his small kitchen table. His desk has long since turned into a makeshift messy closet for clothes that aren´t dirty enough for the washing machine but too dirty for the closet. 

Will let his eyes drift over his cramped apartment trying to find a flat elevated surface on which he could eat his dinner. He found none. Everything in his vicinity was covered in medical textbooks and dirty dishes.  
He should really clean up but he was just so tired. 

He had just gotten home from the hospital. The shift didn´t seem to end as more and more patients turned up at the reception, yelling at the nurses to help them right now, immediately. People were always so impatient when nothing was wrong. Experience told him that it´s usually the patients who sit quietly and wait their turn who have the most baffling medical conditions.

He turned to his kitchen and started rummaging through his cabinets on his search for food. He found uncooked pasta next to an unopened can of tomato sauce hidden behind an empty carton of fruit loops and thought he could hear the College angels sing. Maybe the day wasn´t so bad after all. Maybe luck hasn´t abandoned him just yet. 

He could start boiling the water for the pasta while searching for a good Netflix series to watch while eating, he thought. His eyes kept finding their way to How to get away with murder while scrolling and that´s how Will ended up falling asleep on his couch. Series running and a half-eaten pasta bowl lying on the floor. 

Whoever said life in residency was different from med-school was a fucking liar. His day still ended the same way.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow I am so glad you guys seem to like this! This is the next chapter, I couldn't wait until next week to post it. I really hope you'll enjoy it and I will be thrilled to get some feedback! I'm currently working on chapter 6.  
> I also have another story I'm working on called "And they were quarantined" its also Solangelo. 
> 
> Please let me know if you enjoy this story.
> 
> Thank you so much for the kudos and the comment. Such great feedback motivated me to write 3 additional chapters after posting!
> 
> So, please stay healthy and enjoy!

Nico stared at the E-mail his father send him. He read it once, twice. Left the tab, opened it up again, refreshed the page but the message was still the same.

`Son,  
I am writing to inform you that your former teacher Mr. Henners is currently at the hospital. Paula informed me that the chances of him ever leaving the hospital are slim. I know you´ve severed contact with us but I thought you ought to know.  
Take care, Nico.

Your father´

How dare he. How fucking dare he. Nico slammed the laptop shut. Why? Why did he think it was necessary to tell him that?  
Nico huffed in anger and he could feel his chest rising heavily, struggling to breathe. He threw open the door to the balcony and stumbled towards the railing barely holding onto it before a quiet sob escaped from his mouth. Nico balled his hand into a fist and held it against his mouth hoping it would stifle some of the sounds but to no avail. The broken sobs of Nico grieving could be heard throughout the quite night. 

He didn´t know what hurt him more. 

His father suddenly getting into contact with him again after almost ten years or the news he was bringing.  
Maybe the name the tabloids have given his father, had some truth to it. 

Hades, the symbol of death. It was supposed to ridicule him the first time a tabloid used it but it has since turned into a successful brand. Of course it did. His father was no fool. Always on the lookout to get more money.  
People were right to call his family the Kardashians of the classical world. There´s only so much drama a family can handle and Nico thought the di Angelos rivaled the Kardashians on ridiculous drama and plot-twists.

Nico's shoulders still shook as small sobs wracked his body but he could breathe easier now as he sat on the floor with his back to the railing looking up at the moon.  
Nico could never escape Mr. Henners, that grumpy old man who came to life talking about classical music. He never failed to mention the Moonlight Sonata every time he looked at the night sky.  
And now as Nico stared at the brilliant full moon he remembered his old music teacher. Because Mr. Henners wasn´t only a piano teacher. He has mastered the violin, the guitar, and the accordion and he was also exceptionally good at playing the spoons.  
Nico loved his music classes. They were a wonderfully bright constant in his bleak and grey world when he used to live with his father.

And now he was about to lose the only man that ever came close to being an actual father to him.  
Nico took a shaky breath and glanced into his apartment, eyes staring intently at his opened laptop.  
The bright artificial light hurt his eyes.  
He preferred the moonlight. It was much more soothing, like a warm blanket on a chilly summer night. The moonlight extended into all directions illuminating the darkest crevices of the sleeping city and coating it in delicate white light. It was a serene moment.  
Mr. Henners always said that the moon protected the world from the dark. As long as it shined upon the world they were safe from the dangers of darkness.  
Nico always thought that the man had a flair for the dramatic. Always interpreting more into the nature of the world than he should but then again, they were classical musicians it was their job. Classical musicians were born to interpret the smallest breach of sunlight into a symphony of praise and the shining moonlight was desire and nostalgia. The melancholic nature of the world hung in the sky and only came out at night to grace the world with its beauty.  
Oh, he was sounding more and more like the old man himself.

Nico took one more longing glance at the moon and stood up to reply to his father for the first time in over ten years. 

Before he send his message he paused and thought. Was he doing this the right way? Should he bother the old man after years of avoiding him as well? 

His fingers fidgeted over the send button and Nico bit his lip in worry. No, the man deserved some closure, at least in his dying days and maybe Nico needed that closure too.  
He pressed send and let out a deep breath he wasn´t even aware he was holding in. For Mr. Henners he reminded himself. 

I´m doing this for you old man.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the kudos, comments and subscriptions! Here's the newest chapter!

Nico stood in front of the main entrance of the hospital gawking at the number of people in front of him. He thought that if he came early he could avoid too many people but he was proven wrong.

There were people on crutches lounging on the chairs, old people with nasal tubes sitting next to them and the occasional pregnant woman pacing back and forth as a stressed man followed her around.  
Right, medical emergencies didn´t follow a schedule. He was a fool to believe he´d be the only one wanting to get in.

The mechanical doors were opening and closing each time a wave of people emerged from the hospital or tried to get in.  
Nico hated crowded areas the old man better appreciate that he´s getting out of his comfort zone for him. He joined the group of people waiting to get in and clutched the dark chocolate he bought.  
It was Mr. Henners favourite brand. He´d always give Nico a piece of chocolate when he played nicely or didn´t mess up his hand coordination on a difficult piece. Nico never really liked the taste of the bitter chocolate as a young kid but he grew accustomed to it and started to keep a stack of it in his cupboard for emotional emergencies.  
He bought more of the chocolate after he left his family home. It was the only thing that reminded him of the good times he spent in his music room, learning piece after piece with his teacher.

Finally the big group of people moved along and Nico was glad he got the wing and room number from his father the night before or else he would have to queue up in front of the reception where only one woman was working and a huge line of people were waiting to get information. 

He pitied her, talking to people was exhausting especially when they´re in emotional turmoil and since this was a hospital there was an emotional tsunami waiting for him at every corner. 

He picked up his pace and found a sign that said D-wing which he followed, avoiding people and medical staff expertly. He finally made it to the right floor and started looking for room number 247. The door to his right said 240 so he must be close. Nico followed the room numbers going up. 244, 245, 246. So the next one should be… 248? Wait, did he miss a door or something. He took a step back and looked at the room number. 246 and then immediately after 248. Nico stared at the doors, puzzled. Was this hospital pulling a prank on him or something.

„Excuse me, do you need any help?“ Startled Nico turned around and gawked. 

There in front of him stood the reincarnation of Adonis. Blonde locks, brilliant blue eyes, tan skin with freckles around his nose. The boy was taller than Nico by a few inches so he had to look up to see the warm smile the kind doctor gave him. He had to be a doctor, Nico thought. He wore a white coat with a bunch of pens sticking out of his front pocket. A stethoscope hung leisurely around his neck.  
Nico could feel the blood rushing to his face. He wasn´t planning on talking to anybody besides his old music teacher today, let alone the most handsome man on earth.

„Uhm, eh 247?“ Nico stammered the room number and pointed at the door in front of him. Words were hard when you´re going through a religious experience on a Monday morning at 8.24 am.  
This man had to be a god nothing less, who looked this good at the crack of dawn? Nico could feel himself get even redder. How could he think of a stranger like this?

„Are you ok? You don´t look too good.“ Said Adonis incarnate. His brows furrowed and Nico could see the doctor give him a once over.

„Eh, yeah. I´m fine. I´m just looking for room 247.“ Nico looked down and let his hair fall in front of his face. Was he being punished for ignoring his music teacher for all those years? And did the music gods decide to send him the most gorgeous looking man on earth for revenge? Damn his social anxiety, he thought. Maybe he would have been less awkward.

„Ah yeah, sorry about that. This wing is a bit messed up when it comes to room number distributions.“ The doctor laughed as he pointed to two doors which had the numbers 265 and 278 written on them next to each other. 

„Are you planning on visiting Mr. Henners,“ the young doctor continued, “I´m one of his doctors. I didn´t know he had another grandson.“ 

„Oh, I´m not his grandson. I´m just a former student of his and heard he was in the hospital.“ This conversation wasn´t so bad. Maybe he could do this. Just stay casual, Nico. Don´t do anything weird.

„Oh I didn´t know he was a teacher. What did he teach?“ The doctor turned his head to Nico, listening intently to what he said. He seemed genuinely curious about the old man. Nico lowered his head as he saw the blond stare at him. Eye contact was something he was never good at.

„Oh well, he taught various things. Piano, violin, accordion. He also helped my sister with her singing when she started. Oh and he´s great at playing the spoons!“  
Nico laughed as he remembered Mr. Henners teaching him how to hold a rhythm with spoons.

Talking about him was easy. They would usually spend the entire night playing and laughing hysterically. The yellow light in the music room was always too dim at night so they would move closer to the big window where the moonlight would illuminate them and they´d spend hours talking. 

Mr. Henners would always get a bit sentimental on those days and daydream of Nico playing as a soloist in front of masses. He would describe the performances in detail.  
How the light would shine onto Nico, how the audience would hold in their breath in anticipation of what's to come, how Mr. Henners would sit in the very front with 15 cameras ready to videotape his every performance.  
10-year-old Nico would giggle and throw himself onto the music teacher, begging to stay and tell him more but the old man had to return home.  
Mr. Henners always promised to continue his stories next lesson and he would.  
That´s how little Nico traveled through the entire world at night having played at every major venue, all of them outsold, of course. 

Nico sighed wistfully as he remembered his music lessons. He was so deep in thought that he didn´t even realize that the doctor stopped talking and that they have arrived at their destination.

„You know, the way you look while talking to him makes me believe we're thinking of two completely different people here.“ Nico furrowed his brow as he listened to the doctor talk.

The doctor saw his confusion and opened the door to the room. He nodded in the direction of the door and let Nico walk in first. 

Nico took in a sharp breath. There in front of him lied an old man but it wasn´t The old man.  
Mr. Henners looked like a ghost. Pale skin glistened with sweat, his eyes and cheeks were sunken in. His big nose that reminded Nico of a potato was bigger and red. It looked more like an angry tomato ready to burst. In fact the red nose was the only colour the man had. His entire body was ghostly pale and he was thin. So thin.  
Nico couldn´t believe his eyes. His old music teacher loved to eat and was always on the more well build side. Never skipping a meal his wife cooked for him but now lying in front of him lied a skeleton that was attached to numerous tubes and wires.

Nico was so shocked he didn´t even feel the hand on his shoulder. The young doctor squeezed it tightly and looked him in the eye. Concern evident on his face

„Are you ok? Would you like to sit down?“ Nico could only nod lightly. The only thought on his mind was: When did this happen? And why has nobody helped him?

Nico could feel how he was pushed closer to Mr. Henners bed where a small blue chair sat. He grabbed the armrest and helped himself sit down. His eyes never leaving Mr. Henners body.  
The shock of seeing his normally vibrant teacher lying deathly still on a hospital bed made him completely forget the other person in the room. He didn´t even notice when he left them alone.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so finals started and I wrote bio today. I can't even begin to explain how relieved I am to never have to look into these dreaded Bio books again. Why the hell did I ever decide on advanced biology for my A-levels?? 
> 
> Anyways since the worst has been taken care of I hope I´ll be able to update more often now and continue writing.  
> If you enjoy this story you can check out my other one also about Solangelo: "And they were quarantined"
> 
> Your comments really helped me survive this bio exam
> 
> Please leave some kudos, comments or subscribe to my story!

As the door fell shut Mr. Henners stirred and opened one eye.

„Is he gone? The doctor?“ Nico blinked in surprise.

„Ehm yes. It´s just you and me now.“

„Oh wonderful. Stand up, Nico. Let me see you. Oh, you´re a real man now, aren´t you?“ Mr. Henners grabbed Nico by his sleeve and yanked him up so he stood next to the bed.  
Nico could feel his eyes on him and heard Mr. Henners take a deep shaky breath.  
Nico didn´t dare to look him in the eyes.  
He was too ashamed of suddenly disappearing without so much as an explanation. Mr. Henners pulled at his sleeve again.

„Look at me, boy. Don´t be disrespectful. I haven´t seen you in so long. You know I´ve missed you so much, son.“ And with that Nico broke down.  
He pulled his hand back and slowly moved to kneel in front of the hospital bed. His hands obscured his face as he sobbed and repeated, I´m so sorry, like a mantra.  
He could feel the bed shift. There was a long silence, the only sound coming from Nico's ragged breaths and sobs. After a few minutes, Mr. Henners spoke again.

„Now, now my boy. I have forgiven you a long time ago. I thought that after all these years you would have forgiven yourself, too?“ Carefully Nico lifted his head. The tear tracks felt hot on his skin and he sniffled. He looked at the man in front of him. Mr. Henners smiled a patient smile like he knew that Nico wasn´t only crying because of him.

„I´m so glad I came to see you again.“ He croaked a shy smile grazing his lips. Nico knew that he looked like a hot mess but he didn´t care.  
He missed the soothing and all-knowing voice of his teacher.

„I know, son. Now come here and tell me what you´ve been up to these past few years. I can see that you´re a real man now. Not the boy that I remember.“ Mr. Henners gestured towards the blue chair next to him and beckoned Nico to come closer. His teacher wrapped his hand against his sleeve again and Nico began to explain.

That, after he ran away from home he slept at the Church for a few days while searching for a cheap apartment. How he started University and graduated in Physics after which he quickly found a job at another University. He told Mr. Henners how he befriended Leo an Astro Engineer at NASA who helped him get a job as a Physical Scientist.  
Soon after that Leo and he moved in together but then Leo met a girl and he proposed to her around a year ago since then he´s been living alone again.

Mr. Henners listened to him intently he never interrupted Nico as he explained. He would only make a surprised face when Nico told him what major he chose and where he´s currently working at. Throughout the entire explanation Mr. Henners had a happy smile on his face and the more excited Nico got while explaining, the happier Mr. Henners seemed to get. 

Finally when Nico finished his story Mr. Henners clasped his hands together, leaned forward and said with a choked-up voice: „I knew you were destined for greatness. You make an old man like me so proud. I wish your mother could have seen the man you have become.“  
Nico could feel the tears build up again. After all these years the deaths of his mother and sister still hit him hard. But Nico swallowed down the urge to cry and instead reached for Mr. Henners hands which he pulled towards his chest.  
„Hearing that from you means the world to me.“ Both stared at each other for some time, not saying a word. Basking in the warm feeling of the reunion.

Their moment was ruined by a nurse that waltzed into the room.

„I´m sorry, sir, but visitation time is over you may come again tomorrow.“ Nico's eyes shot open. Has he really been sitting here the entire day? Time flew by so quickly that both men didn´t even realize that the sun had gone down.  
The nurse stayed in the doorframe her hands on her hips as if to make sure that Nico actually left the room. He quickly got up and gathered his things.

„Goodnight Mr. Henners I´ll come back tomorrow. I promise.“ Nico stared at him intently and hoped he managed to convey the message. I am not leaving this time. You will see me again tomorrow. 

With that he turned around, apologized to the nurse and left the room with a small wave.  
As Nico walked down the stairs back to the main entrance he felt as if his world has changed significantly.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, so I wrote my English final and now the only thing left will be history and an oral exam in german so I should be fine. Please enjoy the chapter and tell me what you think!  
> Thank you so much for your kudos, comments, and subscriptions!

Will jumped onto his bed with a groan. He was exhausted. There was a marathon in the city center that day and the sun was glaring brightly on the onlookers. Will spend the entire day helping people with heatstroke who didn´t think of bringing along a hat or even putting on some sun cream.  
From time to time he got some variation and treated a rolled ankle but other than that his day was rather uneventful, except for his interaction with a man who wanted to visit one of his patients, Mr. Henners.

Will spend the rest of his shift thinking about the guy he found in the D-wing and even now as he lay in bed exhaustion pulling him under, his mind started to drift off to the interaction he had. Will was on his way to check on a few patients when he ran into the most breathtaking man he has ever seen. 

The man was wearing all black from his shoes to his jeans and the T-shirt he was wearing, even his hair was black. He was shorter than Will by a few inches but while most men would feel insecure and puff out their chest to show dominance this guy didn´t need to. He was radiating confidence and had a scary ´I-can-fuck-you-up-easily` expression on his face.

The man was captivating to look at with his hair tied back in a low and short ponytail, his black skinny jeans fit him perfectly and Will had always had a certain weakness for men in black leather jackets. So when he saw the man looking lost in the corridor he just had to walk up to him and strike up a conversation. Will was thankful to be wearing his white coat. This way, when he did talk to the young man he wouldn´t be seen as a creep. Or at least he hoped so. 

The interaction was fairly normal but Will was surprised to find out that his scary appearance turned out to be more of a facade as the man stuttered and blushed throughout their short conversation.  
Will smiled involuntarily as he thought back to how the man blushed furiously when he asked him if he needed help. The curious feeling of wanting to know more didn´t leave him the entire night. He spent hours tossing and turning in his bed trying to stop thinking and just sleep but it was like his brain was fixated on the young man. With one last groan Will pulled off his covers and stood up to grab his laptop. He needed to know the man's name or he would go insane. 

He started biting on his fingernails as he waited for the computer to start, a nasty habit he picked out in pre-med which he tried to avoid doing but sometimes he didn´t even realize that he was doing it. 

Finally the display loaded fully and he got on Google.  
Will stared blankly at the screen. What was he supposed to do now? He knew nothing about the guy and typing hot emo looking guy in the search bar wouldn´t get him closer to his answers. 

Think, Will. You need to think. What do you know about him?  
Oh, right he mentioned he was a student of Mr. Henners and if his patient was even remotely famous there would probably be some news stories about him. 

Will wrecked his brain trying to remember Mr. Henners first name. It was a pretty generic one. Was it Mike, Marco? It definitely started with an M. Michael? Yes, it was Micheal!

He quickly typed Micheal Henners into the search bar and was surprised to find a Wikipedia article on him. Will raised his eyebrows in surprise. He wasn´t expecting that. This guy seemed to have a pretty solid career he realized as he skimmed through the page until he got to the last topic on his page.  
„Association with the di Angelo family“ Something stirred in the back of Will's brain. The name seemed familiar but why? He clicked on expand and started reading.  
The more he read the bigger his eyes got. The di Angelos were a very influential family in the classical music world.  
Persephone di Angelo, a sculpture artist, married to world-famous film score composer Lauris di Angelo. That´s why the name sounded so familiar. 

Lauris di Angelo, also known as Hades, was next to Hans Zimmer the most well-known film score composer and music producer in the world.  
If one of these two was involved in a film soundtrack the movie was bound to be a hit. 

Mr. Henners and Lauris di Angelo seemed to be good friends, Will found out as he continued to read on. The former helped teach the di Angelo´s kids music. 

Will clicked on the tag that showed the article on the di Angelo family. As he continued to read he got more and more invested.  
The family seemed to be plagued by disasters and catastrophes.  
He read about Lauris di Angelo's first wife, world-famous violinist Maria di Angelo. The two got married at 18 and had their first daughter, Bianca, at 19. Two years later they had a son named Nico di Angelo. Will squinted at the small picture attached to the article. There was Maria di Angelo sitting on a chair in her hands was a bundled up blanket. In it was probably their newborn son Nico. Next to the chair sat a small girl with pigtails, holding a teddy bear.  
Behind his wife stood Lauris. Will gasped in surprise. The man in the picture, Lauris di Angelo looked eerily similar to the man he met today in the hospital.

Could it be… Was the man he met today, Nico di Angelo? The son of the most famous film score composer in the world? Hastily he clicked on the tag Nico di Angelo and was met face to the with a younger picture of the man he saw in the hospital today.  
Will sucked in a deep breath. He wasn´t expecting any of this. He met the son of a celebrity! He talked to him and helped him when he was too shocked to approach his music teacher!

Will didn´t know if he should continue reading, suddenly he felt bad for investigating Mr. Henners and the di Angelo family. There was so much tragedy that had happened to the family.  
He recalled skimming through a section of Maria di Angelo's death followed two years later by the death of her daughter, Bianca di Angelo. 

Will started to feel sick. He didn´t want to know any of this. He was invading Nico's privacy. He knew that as a member of the public eye it was only natural that his entire life story could be read up on the internet but this was too invasive. Too tragic. He didn´t have to right to read up on this family and their most tragic moments. It felt wrong.

Suddenly he remembered the air of hostility around Nico in the hospital. Even though he didn´t want to he pitied the man.  
First he lost half of his family in a short time and now his music teacher who seemed to be a friend of the family was dying too. Not for the first time in his short medical career he wondered why life was so harsh to some people.  
Emotionally exhausted Will finally closed his laptop shut and gathered his thoughts. What happens if he sees Nico again tomorrow?  
He should probably hide the fact that he spent half of his night stalking him because he thought the man looked interesting and ended up reading up on his tragic backstory that would make the Jokers look harmless. 

Fuck, he thought as he let his hands wander through his hair. Why is he so fucking curious all the time? Now, look where it got him. 

He put his laptop on his nightstand and laid back down staring at the ceiling. He´s a professional. Next year he´ll finish residency (hopefully).  
First and foremost he needs to take care of Mr. Henners, his patient. He doesn´t even know if Nico di Angelo will return again and if he does and they see each other then Will is only a doctor nothing more. There are boundaries he needs to respect. With that thought in mind he pulled the blanket over his shoulder and snuggled into his pillows.  
He fell asleep silently hoping to see Nico again.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here´s the newest chapter. I hope you enjoy it. Thank you for you wonderful comments and kudos. I´m so happy you like this story.  
> Let me know what you think of the newest chapter. I´ll get back to studying for history then.   
> Stay healthy!

Will woke up to an alarm blaring loudly into his ear. He groaned and pulled a pillow over his head to block out the noise but to no avail. The loud screeching of the alarm only got louder and at this point sleep wouldn´t return to Will anytime soon. He pulled the pillow off his head. He threw his hand in the general direction of his alarm clock and started beating down on it hoping to smash the off button in the process. Finally after a few more hits the alarm clock stayed silent and Will sighed a breath of relief. He turned around to the culprit who woke him up and squinted, trying to read the time but the curtains were pulled in front of the windows and the entire room was dark. Groaning, Will stood up and stumbled towards the curtains to let in some light. Ever since he destroyed his nightlight his morning routine looked like this. Even though it was annoying to have to wake up immediately and pull back the curtains but at least he was standing which brought him one step closer to getting his coffee.

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes he continued stumbling into the kitchen, bumping into the kitchen table in the process, to make himself a cup of coffee, or a few cups. As he was making his coffee he glanced at the microwave clock. 6:07 am. Shift change would be at 7 am. He still had some time left to get ready and eat some breakfast. When he opened his kitchen cabinet an empty Fruit Loops box greeted him. Right, no food. He needs to go to the grocery store after work or he´ll starve to death. Ironic how he always preaches a good diet to his patients and ends up stuffing his mouth with Fruit Loops after work.   
He lets his gaze wander in search of some food. There was still some leftover spaghetti from yesterday. Will shrugged, leftover spaghetti was still better than nothing. He turned the stove on and grabbed his coffee mug. Silently slurping at the bitter drink. He didn´t have any cream either so this had to do. He shuddered as the bitterness spread unpleasantly. Gods, he needs to get his life together.   
What kind of doctor is he who fails at getting groceries so that he doesn´t starve? Grumpy at the thought of not being able to get home immediately after work he starts stirring the spaghetti squinting angrily at nothing in particular. This was going to be a long day, he could feel it.

It was just his luck that it started pouring once he got out of the house and of course he didn´t have an umbrella to shield himself from the rain. Quickly, he ran over to his car and ripped the door open. Not only was he running late because he burnt the spaghetti but now it started raining buckets, too. This day couldn´t get any worse. Or that´s what he thought.

The second he entered the hospital he was already bombarded with orders from various nurses and attendings walking quickly getting fresh gauze and pushings gurneys towards the emergency room. Apparently there was a collision on the highway and the first victims would arrive soon. They needed all hands on deck so doing rounds will not be a priority for him right now. Quickly he changed his clothes and made his way to the ER getting ready to help out. He blocked out all negative thoughts from the morning and concentrated on doing his best. These people relied on him. He could not afford to disappoint them. Taking one more deep breath he moved in the direction of the first gurney rolling in and listened as the EMT gave his report.

It has been 5 hours and he was finally let out of the Emergency Room to finish doing his rounds. Most of the victims have been treated and the remaining doctors and nurses could handle the situation. Will was glad he could help. He worked well under stressful situations and always kept a cool head when something went downhill. He hasn´t lost any patient that day but they weren´t out of the woods either. Will could only hope that the patients pulled through he knew that they were in good hands but it was always hard to leave a patient with somebody else. He specifically asked a nurse to update him on the status of a 14-year-old boy who was trapped in a car for hours dangling from a bridge. He normally didn´t request something like this after he gave the patient to another doctor but kids were different, he rationalized.

After spending 15 minutes catching his breath he made his way back to his usual route and started doing his rounds, starting with a nice old lady named Greta who broke her hip recently. He specifically chose her first as he couldn´t handle any grumpy, people in bad moods. His mental state was a little fragile after what he went through in the morning.   
Along his way he found Lou Ellen again and they chatted for a bit while she accompanied him and helped whenever he needed her. He met Lou Ellen a few weeks after he started his residency. She just finished Nursing School and was being shown around. They were assigned a patient together and worked perfectly.   
Something just clicked between them which is why a lot of people thought that they were a thing for the longest time before Will and Lou Ellen agreed on the fact that they thought of each other as close friends or siblings and that they didn´t share anything other than platonic affection for each other. 

Will would often argue that Lou Ellen wasn´t just a great friend but also a perfect wing woman. Every time he went out with Lou Ellen he scored one way or the other.   
Basically, they were a well-working team that didn´t need big words or gestures to understand one another and Will would be royally screwed if he wouldn´t have her by his side. Which is why he finished most of the stops on his round in what felt like the blink of an eye.   
Before he knew it he stood in front of room 247 and everything that he found out yesterday about the patient and his former student came crashing down on him at once. Lou Ellen has said goodbye a few patients ago as one of her own needed some assistance. Will didn´t even get around to tell her about who his patient is and ask her what he should do. Instead he found himself in front of the anticipated room 247 and began to brace himself. 

Was Nico going to be inside? Would Mr. Henners be alone? How should he speak to them? His thoughts were running a hundred miles an hour blocking everything going on around him which is why he didn´t even notice when the door opened and a dark-haired man ran straight into his chest causing him to lose balance and threatening to fall but just before becoming acquaintanced with the hallway floor somebody gripped his arm tightly and pulled him up.

„Oh my gosh. I am so sorry I haven´t seen you there I swear I didn´t mean to bump into you. Are you ok? Did I hurt you? Should I get someone? I can´t believe I ran into you I should be more careful.“ The man continued blabbering on as he helped him onto his feet and Will realized that it was Nico di Angelo who looked at him with a beet-red face. The million thoughts running through his head have quieted down in an instead and only one thought ran clearly through his mind.

„You look cute when you´re embarrassed.“ The hand on his arm gripped him tighter before releasing him and he was met face to face with a tomato coloured Nico. 

„Oh no, did I say that out loud.“ He hurried back onto his feet and took a step back to give the man some space. Will screwed up big time. The man in front of him coughed awkwardly and reopened the closed door.

„You´re probably here to see Mr. Henners right? I´ve been arguing with him because he doesn´t want to get some tests done. Could you maybe help out?“ Nico still didn´t look into his eyes but at least he changed the subject and Will was eternally grateful for that.

„Ehm yeah sure. Let me see what I can do.“ His voice was hoarse and he couldn´t bring himself to look into the other man's eyes.   
How did he let something like that slip? This was so unprofessional. Will wanted to go hide in a closet and never come out again but alas, he had patients to attend to and this one was the most stubborn patient he had ever met.   
Nico let him pass through the door and stood behind him as he approached Mr. Henners.

„So I´ve heard you refused some tests. May I know why?“ Will read from the chart that hung next to Mr. Henners and was surprised to find that he refused some standard blood tests. Now that was unusual. Normally he refused to take a new medicine, not some standard tests that have been done regularly.

„All you do is shove needles into me and come back with the same results every day. When I say that I feel just as crappy as yesterday you don´t have to do those stupid blood tests just to come back and tell me the same thing I said earlier!“ Will cringed inwardly. Oh, this is what it was about.   
Mr. Henners unchanging condition has been a constant topic in meetings with other doctors. His health wasn´t deteriorating but it also wasn´t getting any better no matter what course of action they took. They were slowly running out of options and every time they came in to update Mr. Henners on his situation he would sit back and smile smugly as if he wasn´t concerned over his own health problems. 

„I understand that this must be hard for you Mr. Henners-“

„Nothing is hard but life, my boy. I have lived through my time and I am ready to leave this world.“   
Somebody took in a sharp breath behind him and Will completely forgot the other man that was in the room with him.   
He barely had time to turn to Nico before he bust out in an imposing wave of rapid Italian directed at his former teacher. Mr. Henners in turn only looked away from his student ignoring everything the man was saying like a toddler in kindergarten refusing to cooperate. At this the rapid Italian got even louder and quicker which prompted the old man to stare at Nico with his most impressive death glare.

Mr. Henners said something that made the tidal wave of Italian stop instantly and when Will looked at Nico he was met with the hurt and defeated face of someone who had just realized that the person closest to him has stopped fighting. Will had seen situations like these happen all the time. At one point a patient loses all hope and no amount of love, crying, or begging is going to make them live again.   
He had learned to deal with this situation, not in med school but from experience. Medschool only spends a few lessons on bedside manner and emotional support and only experience and help from people who have been there had helped him deal with these situations. But as he stood there looking at his patient's student he realized at that moment that Mr. Henners wasn´t the only one who has stopped fighting.   
As soon as Will realized what went through Nico's head his expression neutralized a cold and calculating look formed on his face. The man straightened his back and a shiver ran down Will's spine. The temperature in the room seemed to drop by a few degrees and Will could feel the cold sweat appearing on his back making his T-shirt stick uncomfortably. Nico calmly walked out of the room. Nothing left to say anymore. He didn´t turn around to say goodbye to Mr. Henners or Will. And as Will looked at him close the door he saw the dark-haired man slump his shoulders before he closed the door. Nico was crushed. 

Will looked at Mr. Henners unsure of what to do because even though his patient voiced a concerning desire his patient's visitor reacted in an overwhelming manner.   
Apparently Mr. Henners saw how torn Will looked and nodded his head in the direction of the door.

„Go, we can speak later. Just please make sure he´s alright.“ 

„Alright, I will but we do need to talk about this, Mr. Henners.“   
Will waited until his patient nodded and wrote in his chart that he will have a consultation with a therapist the next time he´ll visit him.   
Once he did that he swiftly walked out of the room and decided to find the nearest exit he knew of. The chance that Nico knew of the exit was slim but it was the fastest way to get out of the hospital without having to pass fifty departments on his way out.   
If he were Nico he would want to hide and leave as quickly as possible but as a doctor he needed to make sure the man could deal with the situation. He passed the nurses station and took the right turn towards the elevators. Next to them were stairs that were rarely used nowadays, most people preferred as little physical exercise as possible and avoided them like the plague so he knew that the chance of meeting other people would be slim.   
He started walking quickly down the stairs trying hard not to fall over just like he predicted there were no people in sight until he got to the 2nd floor when he made out a pair of black jeans sitting close to the railing. Will slowed down and tried to walk the rest of the way casually but the boy probably heard him sprint and curse as he ran down the stairs so any chance of appearing casual and professional was thrown right out of the window.   
He walked past the last railing turn and was met with the man he had stalked the night prior sitting with his back towards the railing staring at his phone. Will was unsure of what to do since Nico didn´t even look up as he came to a halt. He decided on sitting down a few stairs above Nico trying to look as unassuming as he can be but the unnerving silence made him fidget. He coughed slightly trying to think of a way to start the conversation but he came up with nothing and the silence became worse and tense. Will started to wonder if it would have been better to just stay with Mr. Henners and leave Nico to deal with his own feelings. After all he didn´t know Will and they barely spoke the one time they met.

„And? What now?“ Will jumped up from where he was sitting. He had been so preoccupied trying to think of a way to start the conversation that he didn´t see the curious glances the other male was sending him.

„What do you mean what?“

„What are you planning to do with Mr. Henners?“ Nico turned his gaze down to the stairs below him and Will saw how he started twisting a silver skull ring on his finger. A sign of nervousness and anxiety.

„Well, it is not unusual for patients in Mr. Henners age to express these wishes, and considering his current health status I have arranged for a meeting with a psychologist who will evaluate if Mr. Henners is mentally clear enough to sign a DNR and/or DNI.“ At the mention of the DNR Nico's head shot up and he looked at Will with a mix of disbelief and fury.

„So you want to let him die? Just like that? I thought he was here to get better. He said he wants to die these are clearly suicidal thoughts, right? Which means he´s not mentally stable enough to make this kind of decision.“   
The more the dark-haired man spoke the more choked up his voice became. Will started to fidget on his stairs. Suddenly he didn´t feel so comfortable sitting above Nico. He thought it gave him a look of superiority which is not the message he wanted to convey at the moment. Carefully he made his way down to Nico, he could feel his eyes staring at him but Will kept his eyes trained to the bottom last step.   
He started to move his hands in the air hoping the words will come to him and he can appear as the medical professional that he is but he had a feeling that that kind of reaction might make the other male disappear completely.

„I´m aware that this is tough to hear but despite Mr. Henners physical illness his mind is exceptionally clear and aware of everything. The only type of control he has right now is that of his future as his own body is failing to follow his commands.“ Will licked his lips, his throat appearing to have swallowed the Sahara desert. The dark brown eyes didn´t let him out of their sight for a second Will knew that he had to choose his next words carefully.

„Oftentimes the only consolidation we doctors can give these patients is to offer them options on how their bodies could be treated once their mental stability starts to deteriorate. The only thing we can do is to give them a little bit of control.“  
Carefully Will turned his head and saw the downcast eyes of the man next to him.   
His shoulders were slumped and he stared at his fingers, twisting the silver skull from time to time. Will hated this. Often times relatives of terminally ill patients were the hardest to consolidate. They can´t deal with the mortality of a loved one and need much longer to come to terms with the imminent passing of a partner or family.

„You know I don´t mean to be disrespectful but I´m honestly so over this halfhearted pity party from doctors. You´re all the same. `I´m sorry but this is for the better. Just deal with it´.“ Nico's voice sounded sickly sweet as he scoffed the last part and immediately buried his face in his hands.  
Will felt his hands tremble. He should have known that this wasn´t Nico's first talk with a doctor bearing bad news. He just had to come and screw everything up.

„I´m sorry I know your mother and sister-“ At the mention of his mother Nico turned his head towards Will but his eyes didn´t follow they stayed on the ground. Nico was processing what Will just blurted out without thinking twice. Will covered his mouth with his hand and turned to Nico in shock. He didn´t mean to say that. He didn´t want Nico to know that he was stalking him all night last night.

„How do you-?“, Nico began trying to make sense of the situation, “Do you listen to classical music?“ Will heard every alarm going off in his head telling him to abort the mission and return to being a doctor but like the dumbass he was he ignored every single one of them.

„Uhm yeah. I do. My family loves music. We have a lot of connections, too.“ Nico caught onto that statement, wanting to forget about their previous conversation and somehow Will was grateful for that but at the same time he knew he just screwed up big time. His family was divided into two fields. There were the medics in the family like him who went on to become doctors, nurses, EMT, etc. And then there were the musicians and poets who played with big names in the industry but his family's music style was confined to mainstream pop as well as the occasional country that comes along with being a family from the south. He had no idea about the complexity of classical music all he knew is that the ones who want to achieve something need to spend as many hours practicing as he does studying. His classical expertise didn´t extend further than Bach or Beethoven.

„Oh sorry I haven´t even asked you for your name, yet. Has anybody from your family worked with mine?“ Will could feel the curious stare of the other male as droplets of sweat started forming on his forehead. Why did he lie in order to make this stranger feel better?

„Uhm it´s Solace but I don´t think anybody has worked with you.“ Nico nodded his head knowingly after the statement and Will thought he was busted.

„Ah, so you know the usual gossip and rumors that gets spread around then? Honestly my family could make the Kardashians a run for their money.“ Nico laughed bitterly and Will scratched the back of his head. This was the most awkward conversation he has ever had and this was all his fault, too. He couldn´t blame anybody else for his nosy ass.  
And while Nico's expression turned sad and melancholic, a semi-comfortable silence balancing out the awkwardness his stomach decided to make its existence known with the loudest and longest growl in history.  
Surprised Nico turned in his direction and Will smiled at him sheepishly.

„I think I might have forgotten to eat today.“ At the same time his pager went off and Nico and he immediately jumped up.

„When are you done today?“ Asked Nico as Will was sprinting up taking two stairs at a time.

„In about an hour.“ He shouted from the railing but didn´t get a response. Damn him for working on the 9th floor, he thought as he ran as quickly as he can.

���������������


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so here is the new chapter. I know, I know I took my time with it but I had a good reason. My results from my finals came back and for all the Germans reading this story. I´ve finished school with a 1,8 Abi. I could scream I´m so happy. Who would have known I had it in me all along?  
> Thank you so much for leaving kudos and comments!
> 
> Anyway, please leave a couple of comments they really do motivate me a lot!  
> Enjoy this chapter and let me know what you think!

Nico walked out of the hospital and started seriously contemplating his own sanity after everything he experienced today. Not only that but he was also currently walking to the convenience store across the hospital because Doctor Solace aka. Adonis incarnates stomach started growling while he was explaining why his former Music teacher wanted to die.   
And since Nico´s feelings were all over the place from everything he learned today as well as from the small chat he had with the Doctor he decided to gift him groceries. Because that is the normal thing people do when they learn somebody close to them is dying. The more Nico thought about what he was about to do the stupider he felt and contemplated running back towards the parking lot, driving home and curling up in a blanket burrito and watching Netflix trying to forget the most awkward conversation he had had in forever but he was already halfway across the crosswalk and Nico felt bad for being so snappy and rude to the man who just wanted to make sure he dealt with the news in a healthy manner. 

Sighing he made his way to the automatic doors of the grocery store. There were prepared bouquets, balloons, cards as well as candy. No doubt did these grocery store owners know who they are catering to but lucky for him behind the huge candy aisle where the fruit and vegetables stand.

Considering that the man was a doctor Nico refrained from buying junk food and kept to the healthiest options there were. He had no idea if Doctor Solace would even take the groceries with him and what was he even planning to tell him once he gave him his groceries? The man could deny the offer and leave him standing in the middle of the hospital like the idiot he is.  
Putting the groceries away was out of the question as he was currently paying for them and since the price was absolutely astronomical, 75$ for the barest essentials, he didn´t want to throw away any of the food either. 

He stood in front of the crosswalk earlier, hands full with groceries as he watched the sunset behind the hospital and the streetlamps illuminating the roads.   
America was different from Italy, even the sunlight felt different. While Italy was gentle and relaxing America seemed intense and all-consuming. Shining too dramatically and making everybody get sunburn and when the sun disappeared behind some clouds the city became depressed. People slouched more as they walked, the happy chattering was replaced by grumbling businessmen or maybe the darkness made the businessmen leave their caves and let them know that the workday is over.   
Either way America without sun felt gloomy and for some reason, this reflected the way Nico was feeling very well. 

As the bright sunset, he realized he couldn´t ignore today's event any longer and would have to eventually face his feelings once he got home. Another reason why he preferred Italy over America. Most American cities died down with the setting sun while the cool night air invited Italians and tourists alike to explore their ancient cities and enjoy their dinner well into the night.   
But Nico wasn´t in Italy he was in America, gloomy, depressing, and lifeless America.   
Why did he decide to move here? It´s not like his father doesn´t visit America regularly he could have just stayed in Venice and enjoyed living among the tourist crowds and knowing that he lived among people who still enjoyed classical music.   
Much to his dismay, Americans enjoyed turning their classical instruments into jukeboxes of ever the same generic pop songs. The million-dollar revenue they got from covering one top 40 chart song after the other seemed to sound more enticing than the skill needed to play Paganini or Vivaldi.   
Maybe he was just being cynical, he definitely was, but he missed listening to orchestra performances for free in the middle of crowded streets while he observed fascinated tourists stop and stare to appreciate the magic of classical music. 

After all this daydreaming Nico didn´t even realize that he had crossed the crosswalk and is currently standing in front of the main entrance of the hospital. He stared down at the back of groceries which he was holding. Is he actually going to give a stranger, the doctor of his music teacher, groceries because he heard that he was hungry?   
The doctor was nice to look at after all and he didn´t seem to back off when Nico got rude so maybe he can just brush the groceries off as a thank-you-gift.   
And this was his last day of vacation so he will be back at his lab in NASA soon. Or probably stuck in some boring meeting, he´s lucky like that. Study Physics for years and get a well-paying job at one of the most prestigious research centers in the world only to be stuck arguing with researchers from the ESA on skype.   
Oh, how he would love to be back in the lab instructing lab assistants or even pretending to be one. He´d even redo O-chem if it meant that he could experiment in the labs.

Nico gripped his grocery back with newfound confidence. He won´t be able to visit Mr. Henners so regularly anymore and the chance of meeting the doctor on one of his rounds would be slim. 

He walked up to the main entrance and looked at the opening automatic doors only to be greeted by Doctor Solace standing in normal clothes on the other side looking just as shocked as Nico felt.   
The doctor quickly changed his shocked expression into a warm smile and silently pointed with his chin in the direction of the now-empty benches.   
Nico gladly took up the invitation and walked awkwardly next to the blond-haired man the grocery bag rustling loudly next to him. They passed many empty benches and sat down on the bench furthest from the hospital entrance. Nico looked at him questioningly.

„In case my co-workers decide to eavesdrop.“ He grinned at Nico and the grocery bag started to slip out of his hands.

„Well it´s not like we´re talking about anything interesting, right?“ He set the grocery bag down on the floor and clasped his hands together awkwardly.  
„Nobody knows where this conversation might take us. By the way, how are you feeling?“

„Oh, I´m fine. I´m sorry I was so snappy I just didn´t know how to deal with the situation at the moment. I shouldn´t have been so rude to you.“ Nico inspected his shoes, shame filling his body for reacting so rudely towards the doctor who was only doing his job.

„Hey, it´s fine, really. Things like these are hard to accept and people need time. I get treated like this on the daily.“ Adonis incarnate laughed loudly and Nico winced more guilt making him feel awful for his reaction. The doctor noticed his reaction and put his hand on Nico's shoulder squeezing lightly.

„What I meant is I can deal with this and you shouldn´t feel guilty for reacting the way you did. It was natural and I´m glad we could talk about it afterwards.“ Nico looked up at the blond-haired man in front of him and inspected his face. 

All shame leaving his body as he took notice of the other man´s freckles centering around his nose and beneath his eyes, making the sky blue stand out. His blonde locks curled lightly and framed his face in a way that made it look like a halo was around him. Not even his badly chosen after-work leisure clothes which consisted of worn-out blue jeans, a horrendously orange shirt beneath his flannel, and a black fanny pack around his waist could make Nico feel less attracted to him.   
In Nico's eyes his way of dressing reminded him of the German tourists walking around Venice. The only difference was that the doctor wore comfortable black shoes while the germans would don the traditional Birkenstocks-with-white-socks-look. 

„Are you alright?“ Nico completely forgot that the man still had his hand on his shoulder and was waiting for an answer to his question.

„Yeah sorry. I´m fine. I just“, Nico gripped the grocery bag once again and lifted it up so that the man would take notice of it,“ You were hungry before your pager went off and I felt bad for being so rude so I went to the store and got you some groceries as a ´Sorry for being such an asshole and thank you for taking care of my teacher`-gift.“ 

Nico smiled awkwardly as he observed the stunned expression on the man sitting next to him. He took notice that the hand on his shoulder hasn´t moved an inch instead of staying there comfortably.

„I´m... I don´t know what to say-“

„You don´t have to take this I know that this seems super weird and I´m probably overstepping so many boundaries right now. And you don´t even know me and I don´t know you what if I bought you something you´re allergic to and-“

„Thank you.“ The doctor leaned into Nico and took the groceries out of Nico's hand brushing his along the way. Nico hoped he didn´t feel his sweaty hands as it would make this entire situation even more awkward and kind of gross. Taking up all the courage Nico had left he looked up into the other man's eyes and was amazed to find tears pooling up in the corner of his eyes. Oh no, what did he do now?

„You know what´s funny? Today I wrote a note to myself that I should go and get some actual groceries as I´ve been living off ramen and almost-burned spaghetti for the past two weeks.“ Nico cringed inwardly at the mention of the doctor's food habits. Weren´t they supposed to live healthily and all that jazz?  
„Ehm, well I guess I already took care of that.“ 

Awkward. How many times has Nico said that this entire exchange has been awkward? He´ll say it twenty more times. Awkward, awkward, awkward…

„Thank you really“, the other man opened the bag and looked inside,“ Hey you got all the stuff that I should be eating.“ He grinned at Nico which made him smile.

„You know I think I would eat healthy if I knew how to cook I will probably burn down my kitchen before I make a meal that´s not spaghetti or scrambled eggs.“ 

„So you´re a hopeless cook.“

„Yeah, I am. I don´t know who allowed me to live by myself I order takeout most of the time anyway.“ 

„Tell me, do all doctors live like this because I specifically remember my doctor scolding me for eating Pizza too often. Could it be that he was just as addicted to junk food as I am?“ 

The doctor laughed happily and Nico realized that when he smiled brightly he had dimples. Oh no, he´s screwed. A charming, educated, patient, and beautiful boy with dimples? Life couldn´t get any better than this.

„Probably. We just don´t have the time to cook. Doctors are the most hypocritical people on the planet. They love to preach a healthy lifestyle and barely follow it themselves.“ 

Adonis incarnate gestured heavily to himself and made an exasperated expression which made Nico burst out laughing once again.

„Oh man you seriously don´t know how to cook?“

„I really don´t I try to follow recipes and instructions online but somehow I always mess everything up and it turns out unedible immediately.“ 

The day was just too much for Nico to handle and he lost half his brain cells in the process because there was no other explanation for what he was about to do. He smiled genuinely and leaned a bit forward as he stared at the blond-haired man next to him.

„I can cook something for you if you´d like.“ 

Immediately after saying this, he wanted to curl up like a woodlouse and die on the spot. The doctor looked at him in surprise the happy expression never leaving his face.

„Really? That´d be great! I haven´t had proper food in ages and most of the time I´m just way too tired to cook something healthy and filling.“ 

Apparently the absurdity of Nicos offer didn´t reach the doctor as he just rolled with it. Nico was kind of glad that the other man didn´t make fun of him but never in his wildest dream did he think that the other man would agree to it. Too stunned to say anything else he continued listening to the blonde angel talk.

„I was so hungry in the morning but the only thing I had left was leftover spaghetti from yesterday and then I managed to burn the food before getting to work so my breakfast was less than great today. And then there was this awful car accident on the interstate and we got so many injured people. We were slammed with work I barely had time to change into my work clothes and the day was just so exhausting I´m really glad I had the conversation with you on the stairs it really helped me calm my adrenaline.“

The doctor next to him kept on babbling about his day and Nico was shocked to find out that he was hanging onto the other man's lips listening to everywhere word coming out of his mouth. It was one of the most mundane interactions in the world but Nico loved hearing about the other man's day.

„By the way do you want to come over now? You can cook at my place since you already got the groceries. Oh, I forgot to introduce myself I´m Will. Will Solace.“ 

Stunned. Shocked.   
Who would have known that his day would end up like this?   
Nico probably looked hilarious, mouth open in surprise staring at the other man who held his stretched out hand in front of him with the biggest smile on his face. Nico reached for the outstretched hand.

„Nice to meet you, Will. I´m Nico.“ Both men smiled at one another before Will got up groceries in hand.

„My car is parked in the employee car park. Do you want me to drive you to my house?“ Ah yes, the logistics of getting there. Nico knew he forgot something. After all, he came here with his own car too.

„I actually came in my own car. Can you give me your address I can just drive there?“ Realization engulfed Wills's eyes and he slammed his hand to his forehead. Nico thought he looked cute.

„Oh right, yeah. Wait a second. Do you want me to put my address into your maps?“ Nico nodded and handed his unlocked phone to Will who quickly pinched in his address.

„So see you there.“ Will smiled and waved with his grocery free hand as he made his way to the hospital employee car park. Nico awkward as always just stood there and grinned as he watched the other man leave.   
He´s going to cook for Adonis incarnate! At his own home! The music gods must have heard his complaints and gotten him the most attractive and adorable doctor in all of America. Scratch that, in the entire world!

Quickly Nico started walking in the direction of where he parked his own car. He hoped he wouldn´t cause a car crash with the amount of giddiness he was feeling. His awful day turned out to be pretty amazing after all. Maybe fighting with the old man wasn´t so bad. After all, if it ends with him having a quasi-date with a hot doctor then he should consider doing it more often. Though he doesn´t know if the heart of his poor teacher can handle any more of his stress.   
Nico couldn´t wait to tell his sister about his luck once he got back home. But for now, he had to make sure he found the correct apartment. This city was a nightmare for drivers after all. Nico turned on his engine and started following the directions he was given. Hopefully, the other man won´t wait too long for him.


End file.
